Front passenger seat removal on 3 door S3

[Roswell]

Just looking for some info/help on this subject.

How easy is it to remove the passenger side bucket seat and replace it with a "standard" A3/S3 front seat?

Is it just a case of removing a few bolts and disconnecting the electrical plug on the underside or is there more to it?

Thanks all.

 

[scottie123]

As you said, remove 4 torq bolts, unplug a couple of plugs underneath the seat and lift out.

Easy peasy

 

[PH1L]

the plugs are a bit of a twaddle around but nothing too bad, would you consider swapping the buckets out altogether or is the passenger seat a temporary fix for a baby etc if not drop me a pm, ive cash waiting

 

[scottie123]

one mention of a bucket seat and the vultures are in

 

[NHN]

Phil's been slaying the bucket vultures & he's the only 1 left lmfao

On the seat topic, make sure you stick some blankets or towels over the door sills/trims & center console & move the steering wheel fully up when lifting out so no damage by the seat metal frame & of course lift out by swinging the bottom round whilst lifting, little tricky but done once, you'll remember for next time or when refitting.

 

[PH1L]

like nhn says its a hook round mate and laying a blanket is advisable i dont but tehn i usually have my old buy helping

 

[Roswell]

Thanks all for the responses!

I'm assuming no warning lights come up or anything when I remove the electrics from the seat!?!?

This is gonna be a temporary measure to do with a baby seat.........trying to order a new motor just now, but Audi's order book waiting time is just getting ridiculous!!!

 

[PH1L]

youll get an airbag warning light but you can clear this with vagcom, however if you do it all with the ignition off and have the new seat in you should be fine

 

[Roswell]

Cheers mate!

 

[PH1L]

nae badger, outta curiosity where are you getting your passenger seat from?

 

[Roswell]

I'm not. I might have to remove the passenger bucket as a temporary measure to allow us to get a newborn baby seat in and out!

 

[PH1L]

pm rico mate he has a baby seat fitted in the rear with buckets

 

[Roswell]

pm rico mate he has a baby seat fitted in the rear with buckets

Cheers mate, but I have already spoken to Rico about this and he is having a nightmare with it and uses his wife's motor when shipping the baby around. I've tried getting a baby seat in the back and it's just possible with a bit of twisting and turning......and that's without a baby in it!

 

[Khufu]

I found when an ex gf had a baby that it was easier to get in an out with a 3 door as the seat went forward & slid forward to out of the way.

 

[Roswell]

A lot of people have said similar, but it's just not going to be practical trying to get a sleeping baby in a car seat by those buckets............believe me, I wish it was as I don't want to get rid of the S3.

 

[PH1L]

im geussing that the isofix in the front seat would be non applicable to you?

 

[Roswell]

im geussing that the isofix in the front seat would be non applicable to you?

That's right mate, no ISOFIX on the buckets and no switch in the glovebox to disable the passenger airbag.

 

[NHN]

Passenger airbag disable can be fitted mate, if need be.

 

[RicoS3]

Hi all, just read this thread. I did speak with Roswell and can confirm that my baby seat is a pure chore to get in and out passed the buckets.

I do however have a specific method. Slide seat completely forward, tilt, get half in the car, lean on tilted seat to force it forward to the limit, manoeuvre seat in at approximately a 45 degree tilt angle watching not to scrape back of seat and then you're in! This is all through the passenger side to get the seat in behind the drivers seat. I actually use my hand as a buffer between the seat and baby seat as it passes the bucket and I know have a permanent red scrape on my knuckles. Very attractive.

More often than not, we leave the seat in the car and just transfer the baby in and out as she's at an age where we can now use the bigger pram attachment.

It's more than the proverbial ball ache.

So much so that I'm changing the S3 as I will be chauffeuring the wee one to nursery as of start of March.

The reason I'm replying now is I was searching to see if I could get the baby seat in the front, but doesn't look possible, well, not easily if I have to retrofit the airbag off.

So, my advice, get an S3 with no buckets or a sportback if you want buckets. Or Roswell, sell your interior to Phil, keep the S3 and give Phil an early Xmas present!

I was up early as usual, so thought I'd give my opinion, hope it helps. And if you know anyone wanting a '10 plate S3, send them my way!!

 

[PH1L]

cheers rico, and ill forward anyone on whos looking for an s3, just wish id the cash myself mate

 

[WelshWoody83]

Sorry to hijack the thread but does that mean when you change the fron seat you only have to not turn the ignition on, or do ou have to disconnect the battery? only ask as Im doing mine soon hopefully.

 

[dickys3]

Im in the same boat guys. Baby is due in feb and we've been down to the shops to try various car seats in the back of the S3! Nothing fits properly with the buckets!

Decided on using the front seat with the normal seat belt fitting when using the S3, just need to get the airbag disabled now!

Is it a straight forward job to disable the airbag? Can it be done using vagcom? I've checked and I don't have a switch in the glovebox like my last S3 (8l) did.

 

[sub39h]

Im in the same boat guys. Baby is due in feb and we've been down to the shops to try various car seats in the back of the S3! Nothing fits properly with the buckets!

Decided on using the front seat with the normal seat belt fitting when using the S3, just need to get the airbag disabled now!

Is it a straight forward job to disable the airbag? Can it be done using vagcom? I've checked and I don't have a switch in the glovebox like my last S3 (8l) did.

that's really strange. my MY05 and MY06 both had/have a deactivate function in the glovebox

 

[NHN]

You can retrofit the airbag switch dicky, it has an outline of the key fixing in the place where goes anyway iirc.

 

[dickys3]

You can retrofit the airbag switch dicky, it has an outline of the key fixing in the place where goes anyway iirc.

Cheers! I'll see if I can dig out the instructions

 

[dickys3]

You can retrofit the airbag switch dicky, it has an outline of the key fixing in the place where goes anyway iirc.

Ive had a look around but cannot find any info about retrofitting it. Do you know if it can just be disabled using vagcom?

Or does anyone have any info on the retrofit option?

Thanks
Rich.

 

[NHN]

The fitment is purely 3 wires mate, 2 wires goto the airbag controller & 1 wire to ground, controller pins depends on your year & engine/box code, elsa will advise this easily.

Only bitch thing is getting to that poxy controller as means console out, as its bolted down to the chassis as such, hidden behind the center console cubby hole/ashtray area.

 

[PH1L]

can you get into the thing without stripping it nige?, cant say its been something ive tried just for the sake of info really

 

[NHN]

Not a chance chap as the controller is hidden in the worst place possible imho, right at the back of the console, under the center heater/vent unit, so you have to remove the long console to get to the connector to insert the pins, nice one audi.

Although if I'm honest removing is only a bitch because you have to remove so much to get to it, but hey its only time isnt it, but imagine audi's hourly rates to do this job, for me Dicky can do it easily I reckon afterall he is a moderator, they have superpowers afaik

 

[dickys3]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Nige! I'll be on the phone when I can't put it back together lol!

Cheers for all your help!

 

[NHN]

As long as its your dime then no worries.

 

[dickys3]

As long as its your dime then no worries.

Cheers mate, but I think I've managed to sort it!

Managed to disable the passenger airbag using vagcom.

For anyone who wants to disable the passenger airbag, use vagcom and connect to the airbag module. Then click 10 - Adaption, and press the up arrow to change the channel to 1.

Now change the value to 0 to disable the airbag, or 1 to enable.

Sorted!

I can now put my baby daughter (when she arrives in feb) in the front seat!

Cheers
Rich

 

[NHN]

Result, has the coding changed now in the airbag controller as the wiki is vague & whic channel did you change?

Feb, prepare yourself if this is your 1st, life will never be the same, lmfao

 

[dickys3]

Result, has the coding changed now in the airbag controller as the wiki is vague & whic channel did you change?

Feb, prepare yourself if this is your 1st, life will never be the same, lmfao

The coding is the same - 0070612

Do you think it Should it have changed?

I changed channel 1. When I selected this it clearly shows the description as passenger front airbag and showed the status as enabled. As soon as I changed the value to 0, the status changes to disabled.

If I then Do a auto scan or just list the fault codes for the airbag controller, it comes up with a fault saying that the passenger front airbag is disabled so happy days! A airbag warning light also displays on the dash.

Yeah this is my first child, so it's gonna be a fun year lol!

Any tips?

 

[NHN]

The coding is the same - 0070612

Do you think it Should it have changed?

I changed channel 1. When I selected this it clearly shows the description as passenger front airbag and showed the status as enabled. As soon as I changed the value to 0, the status changes to disabled.

If I then Do a auto scan or just list the fault codes for the airbag controller, it comes up with a fault saying that the passenger front airbag is disabled so happy days! A airbag warning light also displays on the dash.

Yeah sometimes I have seen coding change, but this time obviously not, good info though.

Fault will show as it detects an airbag circuit still I reckon, just recode when she's not in the seat anymore as such.

Yeah this is my first child, so it's gonna be a fun year lol!

Any tips?

Year, lmfao, you think its just gonna be fun for a year, ohhhhh matey, you wont know whats hit you lol

As for tips, yeah build a time machine, go back in time & tell yourself to pull out early lmfao

Nah its the best thing ever you'll experience, truly is, you will be pushed to your very limits of stress & then the split second smile from your little one brings you back from the brink to the very best feeling of happiness, its like a ping pong ball mate, wouldnt change it for the world, just dont panic at everything with the kid & never ever take your eye of them for even 1 second, not ever.